to think that all these people who say they 'don't iron' much be walking around looking crumpled and welll.....a bit scruffy?

[VinegarTits]

You must iron some things, like shirts and uniforms?

go on admit it

I don't iron. There. Said it.

Unless you count pressing name labels into DS's unironed clothing?

Nope VinegarTits I definately dont do it in secret.

I dont do anything in secret - am honest about feeding the kids sausage rolls, mcds and fruitshoots too

crazycatlady, the secret to that is expensive sheets. I treated myself to some beautiful ones when ex-H left and they feel crisp and newly washed after a whole nights sleep. That might also be beause there is only me (well and small DS) in the bed and no smelly, sweaty man

MrsMerryHenry was wondering why I had bought an iron a year ago - it was to put the name labels in the boys stuff for nursery! It hasnt been used then since Oct 08 when it was bought!

I haven't read the whole thread at all.

I don't iron at all. DH knew when he married me that I don't iron. Because it's important to him and he doesn't mind doing it, DH irons the DC's school shirts, polos and school skirts/trousers if needed. He also irons his own shirts and my work clothes. One of the main reasons MIL hates me is because I'm not an ironing type. I have only ever tried to be fantastic daughter-in-law to her and a lovely wife to her son and a great mother to her grandchildren. But somehow the fact that I don't iron is more important to her than all these things. Personally, I think she is a very shallow person if that's her (or anyone else's) basis for judging me.

VinegarTits YANBU

But then I should probably admit I positively enjoy my hour with my lovely steam generator every Monday. All that fresh hot steam and smell of lavender floating about, lovely smooth warm perfectly folded clothes all in a neat pile... glass of wine and the radio on while DH cooks dinner... it's quite relaxing!

smokinaces but but but, I HAVE expensive sheets! They seem to need more ironing than the old cheapo ones we used to have ...

Ah, didn't read the whole of your post... ha ha, must be the smelly sweaty man!

CrazyCatLady - its got to be my lack of smelly man that helps then?!!

I wonder if what you wash them in makes a difference too? I always find clothes crease less in the nonbio/comfort liquid mix than 2in1 powder for instance.

oh and VT - YABU

Bythesea your MIL sounds like a judgey cow

I don't have an iron, someone bought dd1 an play ironing board and iron as a birthday present and she had no idea what it was

Ah ha! That could be it... we have to use Filetti and no conditioner at all because of DDs eczema.

That probably is it - I swear by my comfort to keep clothes soft and crease free. Every time I use the bold they come out stiff and creased. Thankfully DSs eczema doesnt seem to be affected by the pure comfort, only the other ones.

I iron alot. And I do feel that this makes me a MN minority.
Which I think is very strange.
We don't have a tumble drier. Bedding dries on the radiators and then goes back on. No to tea towels or pants !!
I iron my work trousers, jeans, dh's shirts, ds1's and ds2's clotes, including ds1's M&S non iron school shirts ( NON IRON, WHAT A MYTH!!), my work tops.

I just don't get how you all get away with not ironing and look smart. I just DON'T GET IT ......

Bythesea: "One of the main reasons MIL hates me is because I'm not an ironing type" - what a horrible, superficial woman she sounds. Am for you.

Ooh may try comfort and see if it bothers her. Smells nice too doesn't it?

WIll still iron though

I use comfort, it does make my clothes crease free, just soft and nice smelling, they are still crumpled

I don't iron.

Shake and fold
Shake and fold
Shake and fold

That is the secret

Thanks crazycatlady and MrsMerryHenry. It has bothered me for a long time. I couldn't understand what it was that she hated so much about me.

On a serious note, do you think hard vs soft water makes a difference to how necessary ironing is?

For example, we live in a very hard water area and I cannot imagine how crap a lot of our clothes would look if we didn't iron.

Oh no, I'm taking this too seriously aren't I?

I do not iron.
I am not scruffy.
I think that people who iron are freaks.

The secret must be in the Primark clothing range then - honestly my boys trousers have so many artificial materials in them they dont stain or crease or anything. Well worth £2.50 a pair.

Even their jeans stay crease free.

I admit I prefer the look of jeans and trousers freshly pressed. But tbh I just cant be bothered to iron.

Ask me again when DS1 is in school next September and wearing a uniform and I may well be a closet Iron lover. I barely ever hoovered or cleaned before I got my most recent house which I love and am extremely houseproud about. I hoover like twice a day, so maybe thats why I dont have the time to iron

we live in a hard water area too crazycatlady. I just don't think you have "the gift"

yes we are a bit crumpled I suspect

Bythesea, please don't let yourself be bothered by this woman. Anyone who could judge a person by such an utterly meaningless and superficial measure must be completely off their rocker. So why should you care what she thinks of you?

Why don't you take a perverse pleasure in her obsession with ironing and make little references to crumpled clothes and unused irons every time you see her? Or give the old bint the shock of her life - twist your DC's clothing into little balls before they go to visit. Mwa ha haharrr.

Good thing I have the "I Enjoy Ironing And Can Do It Very Quickly" gene instead then

Thought I might have been clutching at straws with the hard water thing!

Oh I need to go to bed soon (in my freshly pressed bed linen of course), DD will be up at ridiculous o clock I'm sure and I'm sacrificing my body to British Military Fitness in the morning. This has been fun. Is it wrong that I've enjoyed just talking about ironing?